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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24891973">So jung – und doch so alt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menfinske/pseuds/Menfinske'>Menfinske</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rammstein</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday, Hot Tub, Manicures &amp; Pedicures, Marking, Massage, Multi, Sauna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:27:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24891973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menfinske/pseuds/Menfinske</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Schneider surprises Richard for his birthday</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Richard Kruspe/Christoph Schneider | Doom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>So jung – und doch so alt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Where are we going?” Richard asks. It’s not the first time since they left the house. Schneider doubts it will be the last time. “Are we there yet?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean are we there yet? You’re not blindfolded, does it look like we’re there yet?” Schneider asks, glancing over at his boyfriend in front of the red light.</p>
<p>“Well, no. But you were ignoring me. On my birthday,” Richard pouts sadly, looking down at his feet.</p>
<p>“You’re such a drama queen, Reesh. I’m not ignoring you. I’m just not repeating myself for the seventeenth time in about as many minutes.”</p>
<p>“But Schneider,” Richard drags the name out into a long, whiney complaint. “It’s my birthday.”</p>
<p>“I know. Hence why I am surprising you. Emphasis on surprise.”</p>
<p>“But I want to know.” Richard crosses his arms petulantly and Schneider can’t help but chuckle, even if he verbally ignores the statement. Richard sighs deeply and dramatically, but he doesn’t repeat the question for a whole four minutes, at least. Then he once again goes: “Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“Richard, if we make it to the twentieth time of you asking this, I’m turning the car around and no surprise for you,” Schneider threatens.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t,” Richard’s eyes are wide as he stares at his boyfriend indignantly. “Just tell me.”</p>
<p>“19.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t 19. I didn’t ask anything, I simply said ‘Just tell me.’!”</p>
<p>“You are so terrible with surprises,” Schneider groans. Some part of himself is questioning why he even bothers with surprises anymore. Richard doesn’t like to be ill-prepared and every year his birthday surprise has gotten the same treatment. Richard whining like a child all the way until he finds out what the surprise is. Hell, it’s so predictable that Schneider has foregone the surprise a few times. He rather dislikes not having a surprise prepared, though, so Richard will just have to be patient to find out what the surprise is this year and Schneider will just have to be patient to put up with him in the meantime.</p>
<p>At least they’re not far from their destination now. Just two more turns and they’ll arrive and he’s been assured there should be ample parking available for customers. Richard, still nonplussed but apparently realizing that Schneider isn’t going to give in, starts looking at videos on his phone. Schneider knows better than to think he’s actually watching them. More likely it’s just to annoy Schneider with the loud volume and the obnoxious squeals in whatever video is watching, confirmed by the way Richard’s eyes flick to Schneider whenever a particularly annoying tone resounds metallically from his phone.</p>
<p>Pulling into the street, Schneider sees a little parking-sign next to the building they’re headed for. He turns into it, finding a small parking lot behind the building with a few spots remaining free. Pulling into one, he turns to Richard, who now has a broad smile on his face at the realization it will be surprise not much longer. Schneider grins, not quite able to resist leaning in and planting a kiss on Richard’s lips before he reaches into the backseat to grab their bag.</p>
<p>“Come on. Your surprise is waiting,” Schneider says as he undoes Richard’s belt-buckle.</p>
<p>“Why? Isn’t my surprise patient?” Richard questions. Schneider rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“Your surprise might be, but I’m running out of patience. Now come on,” Schneider says even as he opens his own door and steps out of the car. Richard gets out too, an amused smile on his face. Every year. Every damn year Richard acts like a small child with the surprise and then acts all victorious when Schneider patience appears to be wearing very thin. Sometimes Schneider is inclined to think he does it just for the hell of it. “Walk,” Schneider commands, gesturing to the door of the building.</p>
<p>“Why, do you want to walk behind me to watch the birthday tushy?” Richard wiggles his ass to emphasize the question and Schneider can’t help but reach out and pat it, even as they make their way to the door. Once inside, Schneider is rewarded for his patience with Richard today by a stunned look on the other man’s face. Clearly he hadn’t expected the interior of the rather unassuming building to be quite this luxurious. Nor had he expected the scents that greet them at the door, the soft relaxing music playing in the background.</p>
<p>Schneider smiles as he watches Richard’s face, his eyes darting around to take in the place, his mouth as he watches the big chandelier above them or the fountain behind the reception desk. Someone enters the hallway just as Schneider makes his way over to the reception desk, a kind smile on her face as she approaches them.</p>
<p>“How may I help you?”</p>
<p>“Hi. I’d made a reservation? Under the name Schneider.” Schneider watches as the lady checks the system, then nods and gestures for them to follow. She leads them both down the hallway, then stops at a door which she opens for them to enter.</p>
<p>“This is your dressing room for the day. The room you have reserved is available to you all day. You can press the button on this remote,” the lady hands Schneider a remote, “to call someone into the room. We are available with drinks and the additional activities you have booked.” You can exit the dressing room through that door. Do you have any questions?”</p>
<p>“No, thank you,” Schneider responds before Richard very enthusiastically opens his mouth. He gets a glare for his efforts, but Schneider easily laughs it off as he pats Richard’s shoulder, hearing the door shut behind the lady as she takes her leave. “Hold on, I packed your swim trunks.”</p>
<p>“Are we going swimming?” Richard questions.</p>
<p>“How about you put them on and we’ll find out?” Schneider wiggles his eyebrows, digging trough the bag to fish out both his own and Richard’s swim trunks, handing the latter over to his increasingly impatient boyfriend.</p>
<p>Schneider takes off his shoes before undressing further to be able to put his swim trunks on. And even though is by no means taking it extra slow, Richard still is impatiently tapping his foot, swim trunks already on, clearly wanting Schneider to hurry up so they can go through the door.</p>
<p>“I thought you liked seeing me naked?” Schneider teases once fully undressed, putting his hands on hips and turning to show off his body to Richard.</p>
<p>“Now that’s just a trick question, isn’t it?” Richard huffs. Schneider smirks even as he reaches for his trunks, sliding them on and approaching the door, Richard quick on his heels in his curiosity.</p>
<p>The door opens to reveal a large room, almost as luxurious as the hallway had been. In one corner there’s a large hot tub, a bucket next to it which contains two bottles of champagne (though one of them should be alcohol-free, since Schneider drove here) along with two glasses. In a different corner there’s two large stone ‘beds’ which Schneider knows are heated so they can relax there. In yet another there’s a sauna. And finally, in the middle of the room are two beds prepared with pillows.</p>
<p>“A spa day,” Richard determines, taking everything in. “A very fancy spa day.”</p>
<p>“Only the best on your birthday,” Schneider agrees, stepping up to his boyfriend and letting his arms glide along Richard’s waist, holding him close while Schneider places a gentle kiss on Richard’s lips. “I thought you deserved a day of utter relaxation and pampering.”</p>
<p>“Just one day?” Richard teasingly shoots back. He’s smiling broadly, the laugh lines at his eyes appearing happily as a result.</p>
<p>“Oh, of course only one day. Can’t have you becoming too much of a cheeky bastard,” Schneider teases back in response. “What do you want to do first?”</p>
<p>“Well- it would seem as if the hot tub is the top choice, given that our drinks are there,” Richard observes. Schneider nods, letting go of Richard to follow him towards the hot tub instead.</p>
<p>The warm is comfortably warm and the tub is large enough for the 4-5 people to sit comfortably. Schneider leans over the edge to grab the glasses and champagne bottles, pouring a glass of the actual champagne for both of them. One glass is alright, and they’ve got the room for the whole day anyway.</p>
<p>Richard has chosen a seat and Schneider hands him one of the glasses before he sits down as well, close to Richard. Their knees touch as Schneider’s torso is twisted towards him while he raises his glass.</p>
<p>“To your birthday. May there be many more where I can torture you by planning a surprise,” Schneider cheers. Richard rolls his eyes, but there’s a definite smile visible on his face as he clinks their glasses together before taking a sip.</p>
<p>“At least you always have a nice surprise planned,” Richard concedes. Then, furrowing his brows. “Well, almost always.”</p>
<p>“Almost always? When did I not?” Schneider asks, indignant at the notion.</p>
<p>“The first year after we got together. The whole surprise party you had planned? Inviting a whole bunch of people and writing my damned age down literally everywhere I watched,” Richard’s eyes are narrowed. Schneider laughs as he remembers the party in question. Indeed, he had made the foolish mistake of underestimating Richard’s vanity. It’s not as if he didn’t know that Richard usually let his birthday pass without a mention, if he could help it, but Schneider had initially thought it was just because he didn’t want to deal with organizing and hosting the party.</p>
<p>“Mh, that seems ridiculous now, doesn’t it?” Schneider asks, a mischievous expression on his face, “You were 35 then and you hated seeing the number. If only it was still that number instead of the letters turned around.” Richard’s face turns entirely indignant and he splashes water at Schneider in retaliation.</p>
<p>“It’s my birthday. You’re not supposed to bully me on my birthday.”</p>
<p>“Of course I am. It’s the one day a year that’s aaaaalll about your age,” Schneider teases, reaching his fingers out to the lines of Richard’s face. “Where I get to appreciate these lines. Or try and find the grey in your hair,” Schneider adds, moving his fingers from Richard’s face to his hair, lifting the short strands to inspect the ones beneath them. It’s rare to find a grey hair on Richard’s head, since he ensures to dye it often, but very occasionally Schneider would spot one.</p>
<p>“It’s not,” Richard complains, swatting at Schneider’s hand until he retracts it. “I’ma break up with your ass.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re not,” Schneider huffs. “Who else knows this diva the way I do, huh?” </p>
<p>“Well, you do have an 18 year head-start on them. I’m sure with time someone else would,” Richard huffs, crossing his arms.</p>
<p>“Mh. With time. If only you weren’t already 53, huh?” Schneider continues to tease. He leans in to place pecks along Richard’s cheek and jawline though. Richard huffs, trying to turn his face away. Schneider reaching one hand out to keep his face place however, feeling Richard slowly mellow under the kisses.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t tease me and then try to make up,” Richard huffs, though there’s no hint of annoyance in his voice. Schneider places a last peck on Richard’s earlobe before he withdraws.</p>
<p>“You’re so delightful to tease, but alright. Today is your day. I shall be quiet and enjoy the warm water instead,” Schneider tells him, leaning back to submerge below the water a little bit more. He feels Richard move next to him, until Richard’s arms are around Schneider’s chest and Richard himself lays down comfortably as well.</p>
<p>For several minutes, they’re both silent. Basking in the comfort of the hot tub, the atmosphere created by the low light, very soft music and the scented candles and each other’s presence. In fact, Schneider can begin to feel Richard’s breaths evening out, threatening to fall asleep.</p>
<p>“Reesh?”</p>
<p>“Mh?” Richard moves his head a little to look at Schneider.</p>
<p>“You’re falling asleep.”</p>
<p>“I’m not. That would imply I’m old. Which clearly I’m not,” Richard jokes. Schneider can’t help but laugh, turning around to wrap his own arms around Richard’s waist.</p>
<p>“Yes, of course. My apologies. You’re my young and virile boyfriend.”</p>
<p>“I most certainly am,” Richard nods happily.</p>
<p>“And to prove that, surely you wouldn’t mind getting all hot and sweaty for me in the sauna?”</p>
<p>“Oh, you want to see me all hot and sweaty?” Richard asks, wiggling his eyebrows. “Of course you do. Why should I be surprised.”</p>
<p>“Indeed, why should you? You’re very hot in the first place, I agree, but I like seeing you all red and with sweat in strange places. It reminds me of- certain things.” Richard’s eyes glint at Schneider’s implication and Richard places a kiss on Schneider’s lips before he releases his arms and stands up, waddling out of the hot tub. Schneider follows him, taking the lavish towel off the rack and toweling Richard off with it.</p>
<p>“Here. Take it with you to sit on. I’m sure the seats will be hot,” Schneider calls out before Richard can take off in the direction of the sauna. Schneider takes another towel to dry himself off before he follows Richard into the sauna, closing the door behind him as he does so, allowing the temperature to rise.</p>
<p>Richard can take the heat well. It’s something that has always astounded Paul in particular, complaining how it’s not fair that he can take it so well despite being from the same region. Schneider himself is less happy about heat, but seeing his boyfriend all hot and bothered should be worth it. It’s been worth it in the past, at least.</p>
<p>“Want to make it interesting?” Richard questions. He’s sitting fully relaxed, aside from his head now craning to look at Schneider.</p>
<p>“Mh?”</p>
<p>“If you manage to stay in here for a whole fifteen minutes, I’ll make it worth your while.”</p>
<p>“Mh? Will you now? And how would you do that?” Schneider asks. At this, Richard’s smile grows very mischievous.</p>
<p>“It’s a surprise,” he cockily says, leaning his head back again without even acknowledging any response from Schneider. Who laughs.</p>
<p>“Oh, you really can’t stand it, can you? It’s just one surprise a year, you bastard,” Schneider complains, though in good humour. “Fine. I can deal with 15 minutes.” Schneider crosses his arms, ready to take on the challenge. Then uncrosses them real quick when he can feel the heat in his elbows already rising from the bent position. Fortunately, at least, Richard doesn’t see it.</p>
<p>Schneider doesn’t speak while they’re in the sauna. He watches Richard instead, distracting his own discomfort with the increasingly red skin of his boyfriend, watching sweat droplets rivet down his body. His hair is sticking to his face, which occasionally lifts to look at Schneider, seeing if he’s ready to give up yet.</p>
<p>“You look so hot, love. Are you sure you don’t want to get out?” Richard asks, amusement clear in his voice. Schneider can imagine he looks like a mess. He can feel his entire body practically radiating the heat back at the sauna, he can feel several droplets of sweat run down his own body uncomfortably and he can feel his hair sticking to the nape of his neck, even short as it currently is.</p>
<p>“Why do you look sexy-hot and I look like a mess-hot?” Schneider huffs, not finding it fair in the least.</p>
<p>“Because I’m fabulous,” Richard grins as he holds up his hands in a diva-gesture.</p>
<p>“You really are,” Schneider agrees. “Also- the time is up. It’s been 16 minutes, just so you can’t claim it was a few seconds short,” Schneider victoriously claims, quickly getting up and out the sauna’s door, grateful for the, in comparison, cool air outside of the sauna. Richard follows him out at a much more leisurely pace, a smug grin curled along his lips.</p>
<p>“Was it a little too hot for my poor man?” Richard teases. Schneider huffs, not dignifying it with a response. Instead, he takes the remote that the lady had handed to him and presses the button before walking over to the hot tub to retrieve both their glasses, refilling them while he’s there.</p>
<p>“How can I be of service?” Schneider hears the lady say behind him.</p>
<p>“We would like to begin the first activity, please?” Schneider requests.</p>
<p>“Of course. You may take your place on the beds. Someone shall be here in only a moment.” The lady leaves again and Richard furrows his brows at Schneider, clearly curious.</p>
<p>“You heard the lady. Lie down,” Schneider merely tells him, nodding toward the two beds. He quickly towels himself off to get rid of the sweat before he walks over to lie down too. It’s not as if Richard won’t be able to guess what’s going to happen from the overall setting here and the beds. Indeed, it appears, since he rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“Sure. Let me see, what could be about to happen? Is someone going to come in here and fuck me?” Schneider narrows his eyes at Richard for the comment. Richard is perfectly aware that Schneider takes great pleasure in being the only one who gets to do that. Richard merely laughs as he walks over to lie down. “Alright. Maybe not. Mh- oh, is this another tease at my age? Am I going to get a proper prostate exam?”</p>
<p>“That’s not teasing, that’s just looking out for your health. And also not what’s going on here,” Schneider huffs. There’s two new ladies who walk in before Richard can come up with another guess.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” one of them greets the two men with a soft voice.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon,” Schneider responds. One of the ladies approaches him while the other walks over to Richard. She points to the hole in the bed wordlessly and Schneider places his face in there. He’d been warned the masseuses knew little German. He didn’t mind. Massages were about relaxing anyway, not about talking.</p>
<p>Massage oil is squirted onto Schneider’s back and, presumably, Richard’s back as well, before two warm hands follow, starting in the middle of his back to gently spread the oil before she starts up the genuine massage. Up and down over his back, working on the knots there and relaxing him. Richard lets out several content sighs as his back is massaged as well and Schneider almost regrets not being able to lift his head to look at Richard while he’s being massaged.</p>
<p>The lady continues the massage, relaxing Schneider thoroughly. It’s a very extensive massage, working on all his tense muscles before soothing over the spots. Over his back, his shoulders, his upper arms, his calves, his thighs. He hears a surprised noise from Richard when the lady must be getting to his upper thighs and Schneider grins to himself. Richard is rather sensitive there.</p>
<p>Throughout the next moments Richard is quiet, though Schneider can hear the bed move several times when Richard must be twitching. It’s highly amusing to him. And if he’s honest? Also part of the reason why he booked a full-body massage.</p>
<p>After their entire bodies are relaxed and the time must be up, the lady massaging Schneider withdraws her hand. She grabs a damp, warm towel to remove the presence of the massage oil still on his back before she takes her leave from the room, the lady who had been massaging Richard doing the same. Schneider gets up and walks over to Richard, who is still relaxing on the table. He has removed his head from the hole, however, and is looking at Schneider.</p>
<p>“Do you know how much I’d love to feel your erection on my ass right now?” Richard asks, wiggling said ass to call attention to it. Schneider grins, patting Richard’s ass with his hands before giving it a firm squeeze.</p>
<p>“It is a glorious ass, I won’t deny that. We should save it for tonight, though. Especially since you did promise to make the sauna worth my while,” Schneider responds. “Come on. We’ll lie down there instead.” He gestures to the heated stones. “I’ll be right there. I’ll just grab our drinks.”</p>
<p>“Trying to get me drunk here, love?” Richard asks.</p>
<p>“Of course. You’re a lovely affectionate drunk,” Schneider responds, not missing a beat. With both glasses full he walks over to Richard, who’s already seated on one of the stones. “And since I can’t be drinking now, you’ll have to drink the champagne to make up for it.”</p>
<p> “You know I don’t have to be drunk to be affectionate. You’re the one rejecting things until tonight,” Richard laughs.</p>
<p>“Fine, come here then. I’ll rest my package against your ass. But no funny business. We still have the night to fill, since these are only our afternoon plants,” Schneider concedes, setting his glass down on the floor before he joins Richard on the stone, spooning him from behind. Richard releases a happy little sigh, burrowing into Schneider contently.</p>
<p>There they lay, relaxed in each other’s arms, enjoying the feeling of the other’s skin on themselves, the heat from the stone seeping into their bodies, the mood in the room just right. Once again, Schneider can feel Richard’s breathing even out. This time Schneider allows it. He’s actually feeling relaxed and content enough for a nap himself. And they only have the one activity remaining anyway. With his arms tightly around the birthday boy, sleep grasps at Schneider until he joins Richard in taking a nap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’s awoken, a little over half an hour later, by Richard wiggling around in his arms. Richard’s eyes are looking at him, a large smile on his face.</p>
<p>“Good morning love. Now which of us was old because they were almost falling asleep?” Richard teases immediately. Schneider rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“Well, I am older than you,” Schneider points out. Richard chuckles.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you did. You looked really beautiful. The low light really emphasizes your cheekbones. I’d murder to have those.”</p>
<p>“You have cheekbones. Here,” Schneider says, bringing his hand up to trail his thumb along them on one side of Richard’s face while he kisses his boyfriend’s cheekbones on the other side.</p>
<p>“Mh. You do know how to appreciate them,” Richard murmurs contently.</p>
<p>“Oh, I certainly do,” Schneider agrees. He stretches out, which causes Richard to close what little distance was between them to line them up even further. Schneider laughs. “Reesh. What did I tell you? Be patient,” Schneider laughs, feeling his boyfriend’s erection. Richard gives a dramatic pout and Schneider leans down to kiss his lips.</p>
<p>“Be grateful. There’s a last activity. And it’ll lead to something tonight that I know both of us will like,” Schneider says with an arched brow. Richard looks curious now, and Schneider hands him the half-full glass of champagne they’d left before the nap. “Here, drink up. I’ll call them in here once your erection has faded.”</p>
<p>“Have you seen yourself? It might be a while,” Richard responds, causing Schneider to place another kiss at his boyfriend’s lips.</p>
<p>It takes a few minutes in which they both sit and drink their respective champagnes before Schneider calls for the final activity to begin. It’s not in the same room, so they’re each given a lavishly soft bathrobe before they’re instructed to follow the lady through the dressing room and into the hallway, where she walks through a different door.</p>
<p>Schneider keeps an eye on Richard while they walk in, seeing the man’s smile as they walk into a nailstudio. Richard normally does his nails himself and, while Schneider knows he doesn’t mind it, he feels like taking him to get a full manicure today. Plus, a surprise that Richard surely can’t decipher from the location, he’d arranged to get fake nails (just for the week. Richard couldn’t possibly play guitar with them, after all).</p>
<p>Richard had had them once before, when he’d lost a bet. It had been an interesting experience. Richard clearly liked dragging the nails along Schneider’s flesh, seeing the red lines it left in its wake, digging into his skin for more grip, enjoying the half-moon shaped marks it left. He’d even left some actual scratches, that both of them thoroughly enjoyed looking at. Schneider almost regrets that Richard’s profession keeps him from being able to have such nails, because it had been so exciting.</p>
<p>Schneider shrugs his thoughts off as he takes a seat. There’s a tub of warm water placed at his feet, which he’s instructed to rest his feet in. The same is done to Richard. New champagne is brought to Richard while Schneider is asked what he wishes to drink. Opting for a glass of sparkling water, it’s brought to him quickly before the lady begins on the nails of his right hand, filing them.</p>
<p>“The guys would laugh at us so much if they saw us now,” Richard chuckles to himself.</p>
<p>“Maybe it’s just to cover up their jealousy,” Schneider jokes. Richard huffs, clearly not believing that for even a second. Regardless of what their bandmates might think of it, however, Schneider very much enjoys the manicure. Not so much for himself- it’s relaxing, yes, but the rest of the day had thoroughly relaxed him regardless. No, he likes watching Richard’s content smile as he watches his nails being worked on, enjoys the glint in his eyes when he curls his fingers to look at them appreciatively. He looks surprised when the lady brings out the supplies for his fake nails and Schneider grins at him.</p>
<p>“Oh, perhaps I should thank you for the evening program, huh?” Richard observes, glancing at the image of how his nails should turn out as the lady has it next to her.</p>
<p>“I told you so,” Schneider happily responds. Richard eagerly allows her to work on his nails, watching with awe and excitement as they’re lengthened from his blunt, short nails. He wiggles his fingers happily while the lady takes the colour and Schneider already knows Richard is going to thoroughly enjoy himself this week.</p>
<p>“They’re beautiful,” Richard murmurs in awe, bending his fingers and inspecting the nails of his right hand when those are done. They’re black and red, though unlike usual, there’s a subtle pattern drawn in there of matt-coloured hearts. One at the bottom and three small ones at the top.</p>
<p>When the other side is also done, Richard looks at that side with as much enthusiasm, even though he already knows the design and the pattern. He’s looking so happy when he turns his head to Schneider, holding up his fingers for Schneider’s inspection.</p>
<p>“They’re looking great, Reesh,” Schneider tells him. Richard grins happily, turning his hands around to inspect them some more. Schneider can’t help but smile, even as they’re told both their manicures and Richard’s nails are done. Schneider chuckles at the realization Richard isn’t hearing them, putting his hand through Richard’s elbow and walking him along to the dressing room.</p>
<p>“This was such a fun day,” Richard tells Schneider once in the dressing room to get back into their regular clothes. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Absolutely no problem. Now you can mark me. With love,” Schneider grins dopily. It had been the entire reason why he’d chosen the heart design. Richard grins a cheesy smile in return, wrapping his hands around Schneider’s hips.</p>
<p>“You bet I will. I love you, Schneider.”</p>
<p>“I love you too,” Schneider agrees, dipping his head to place a kiss on Richard’s lips. Happy that Richard had very much enjoyed his birthday and the surprise.</p>
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